At the entrance of Vat Phou site, a building house is the museum and the new interpretative room.

The museum presents a collection of recovered objects, architectural elements, and sculptures that, for conservation and safety reasons, have been exhibited.

The Interpretative room presents a large selection of panels with explanations, commentaries, illustrations and maps to propose to the visitors a better understanding of this very rich area

Visiting this museum before discovering the site is a good introduction to understand and appreciate this place’s true worth.

The museum was built between 2001 and 2003, with funding from the Japan government, within the framework of its cooperation with the Lao government. The building has been limited to a specific size in order to minimize endangering and altering effects on the underground archaeological site and the view towards the Mekong, from the superior terraces of the sanctuary.